| Douglas Campbell (aviator) |
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Douglas Campbell ( June 7 , 1896 – December 16 , 1990 ) was an American Aviator and World War I Flying Ace . He was the first American aviator flying in an American unit to achieve the status of Ace . Campbell was born in San Francisco, California . He was the son of famed Astronomer William W. Campbell , the head of the Lick Observatory and future president of the University Of California . At the time the United States entered World War I in April 1917 , he was a student at Harvard University noted for his athletic prowess. Campbell and close friend Quentin Roosevelt , the son of former President Theodore Roosevelt , immediately dropped out of college and enlisted in the United States Army . Assigned to the Air Service, Campbell learned to fly in a Curtiss Jenny aircraft and was later trained in a Nieuport fighter. He was assigned to the famous 94th Aero Pursuit Squadron (the "Hat in the ring" gang). He was noted for several firsts in his service. He flew the squadron's first patrol along with two other famous aviators, Eddie Rickenbacker and Raoul Lufbery . Due to supply problems, the trio flew their first mission in unarmed planes. His first kill came while flying in an aircraft armed with only one rather that the usual two Machine Gun s. He shared credit with Lt. Alan Winslow for the squadron's first confirmed victory, which was the first victory of any American flying unit in the war. He became the first American flying for an American unit to become an ace when he downed his fifth enemy aircraft over Lironville, France on May 31 , 1918. Campbell was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster for bravery in aerial combat over Flirey, France on May 19 , 1918 . He was also awarded the Croix De Guerre Avec Palme by the French military. He scored his sixth and final victory on June 5 , 1918. During this last action, Campbell was wounded by an exploding Artillery shell and was sent back to the United States to recover from severe Shrapnel injuries to his back. During his recuperation, he made appearances at numerous War Bond rallies. Campbell hoped to return to combat and was reassigned to his squadron in November 1918. By then however the war was winding down and he saw no further frontline action before the Armistice of November 11 , 1918. After the war, he took a job for W.R. Grace and Company. He became the Vice-President of Pan-American Airways in 1939 and was named the airline's General Manager in 1948 . He died in Greenwich, Connecticut at the age of 94. TRIVIA
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